We had them up here 50 some years ago when ploughing roads was not done any where near the level it is now;' often even major highways were no ploughed for over a day.
They destroyed roads, quickly so they were banned.
I now put top level, Michelin, only second to Blizzak , though I have read there is supposed to be a tire from Finland that is superior to both but extremely hard to find, on all four corners.
It stopped driving in winter from being a white knuckle affair.
Thirty years ago I was driving North , 50 miles , wlhen there was a solid ice cap on all roads.
I watched a econo box slide sideways off the road , on a down hil banked curve, into the ditch.
I did not stop as if I had I would have been stuck.
That experience made me decide it was time to run snow tires again, the All=season crap is a fools folly up here.